Congratulates Woolworths. Now Coles and Aldi should act.

The Nationals Member for Lyne Dr David Gillespie has congratulated Woolworths on today’s announcement that it will be ditching $1-a-litre milk and will continue its 10-cents-a-litre levy to support dairy farmers.

Last week, Dr Gillespie said he would introduce a Private Member’s Bill into the Australian Parliament if the major supermarkets and processors did not take real steps to support the viability of the dairy industry.

“Woolworths and a number of processor representatives met with me earlier today to brief me on this decision and I’m happy to congratulate Woolworths on this decision and give credit where it’s due. Well done Woolworths. I now call on Coles and Aldi to do the same,” Dr Gillespie said.

“Coles and Aldi and the processors should now all immediately take action and do the right thing to ensure our farmers get a fairer deal. If they don’t want to take action voluntarily, and soon, then the Parliament may have to act.”

Dr Gillespie said the reason a 10-cent-a-litre milk levy was needed was to allow reforms to be implemented over the next 12 months to provide a fairer and more transparent supply framework for the industry.

“A mandatory code of conduct and a fair dinkum milk price index must be in place before this levy is lifted. I congratulate the Agriculture Minister David Littleproud on his work to date in engaging with the industry to develop a new code and I look forward to this new framework being in place over the coming months.”

“My electorate supplies a significant amount of milk to the New South Wales milk market and my dairy farmers need help if they are to remain viable now and into the future.

“As I have said previously, if we don’t have a fair farmgate price that delivers certainty, then many farmers will continue to leave the industry and we won’t have a dairy industry.”